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22 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
THE SOPRANOS HIT A HIGH NOTE..., 8 Mar 2003
My son is a big Sopranos fan, so I bought him the first season DVD set for Christmas. I myself had seen maybe two or three episodes on cable and had enjoyed them. So, when he began watching the set, I was right there watching with him. What a terrific show. It is absolutely gripping.It is a marvelously creative series with a stellar cast. For those of you who have been visiting relatives in Antarctica for the past several years, the story revolves around the mob in New Jersey. It centers on one family specifically, the Sopranos, headed by Anthony Soprano (James Gandolfini), who is married to his loyal childhood sweetheart, Carmela (Edie DeFalco). Together they have two children, Meadow and Anthony, Jr. Tony's dangerously manipulative mother, Livia (Nancy Marchand), is bound for a retirement home, if Tony has any say. Tony, however, has another family, comprised of a bunch of murderous henchmen, who occasionally march to the tune of a different drummer, and a Russian mistress. Trying to balance all this has given Tony panic attacks, so he goes to a psychiatrist, Dr. Melfi (Lorraine Bracco), whose relationship with her client alternates between fear and fascination. The writing for this series is splendid and the interweaving of comedic and familial moments with the darker, more violent ones provides the viewer with an intelligently woven plot. James Gandolfini is outstanding as Tony Soprano, a powerful mob boss, who can also be a teddy bear of a guy and a good friend, unless you are perceived to have been disloyal. Then, you may kiss your buns goodbye. Tony is mercurial, sexy, fearful, cautious, and, given the right circumstances, deadly. He is a fascinating and beguiling character. Edie DeFalco is warm, funny, loyal, and the glue that binds their immediate family together. Yet, she too has her own sting, and she knows the power that her husband has. She is not above using it herself, if necessary. The late Nancy Marchand was terrific as Livia, the manipulative, scheming mother. She will be missed, as she was quite a character. Be aware, however, that this show is totally addictive! Once you have seen the first season, you will be hooked and will want to see the entire second, third, and fourth seasons, as well.
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